Program Overview

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Executive MBA

Summary

Study level: Postgraduate Award: MBA Full time: 1 year Part time: 1 year+ Location: Berlin or Online

What makes Arden University special?

Education for everyone, everywhere Whether you're constrained by location, cost, time, or other life commitments, we're passionate about giving you access to higher education that fits into your busy, modern life.

You decide how and where to study We offer a wide range of flexible undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in both our online and blended study modes.

Full support both online and on-site We're also proud to offer non-standard entry, meaning your work experience and previous qualifications are taken into account when assessing your application.

Strong focus on employability You will gain in-depth subject knowledge and transferable skills that employers from a huge range of industries will value. Many of our courses at Arden are also accredited by leading professional bodies in the UK.

Course Overview

The driving force behind Arden University’s Executive MBA is to help experienced managers like you disrupt conventional ways of thinking to lead business transformations. The programme equips you with the key skills needed for modern global business management, helping you gain a competitive edge in your industry. Rooted in a learning-by-doing methodology, the degree emphasises directly applying what you learn to your day-to-day role, allowing you to demonstrate immediate impact in your organisation. This, combined with Arden’s flexible learning, means your degree will complement your career, not get in the way of it.

With industries transforming faster than ever, organisations will require jobholders to be agile and tech-savvy. That’s why we’ve ensured our Executive MBA takes a digital-first, global, and contemporary approach to your learning, ensuring you gain the modern strategic, financial, and people skills you need to meet the current and future demands of a constantly evolving sector. Our esteemed lecturers bring a wealth of experience from senior roles in both the private and public sectors, along with significant academic expertise. They have designed the course in consultation with leading UK employers and our international alumni, so you can be confident your studies will provide you with the advanced skill set to become a future leader of tomorrow.

This course has dual accreditation from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), providing you with the prestigious CMI Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management and ILM Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management. That means you’ll graduate with professional recognition and a qualification that’s recognised across the globe. And with your CMI Level 7 Diploma, you’ll be eligible for the fast-track route to Chartered Manager status.

The course is ideal for experienced managers who are looking to take their careers to the next level. We also offer MBA pathways focused on finance and artificial intelligence, as well as a specialised MBA to help those without work experience break into the world of business management.

Accreditation and Memberships

• ILM Accredited: Institute of leadership and Management (ILM) accreditation means you'll graduate with an ILM Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management.
• BGA Membership: Arden University is a member of the Business Graduates Association (BGA), meaning students will receive complementary BGA membership.
• AACSB Membership: Arden University is a member of the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
• The Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE): This course awards the IOEE Professional Extended Diploma in Business Innovation and Growth.
• CMI Accredited: This course awards a CMI Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice and grants graduates Chartered Manager Status.

Course details and modules

• Make your organisation the focal point of your Executive MBA
• Become a confident leader in today’s business landscape
• Modules:
  • Competitive Strategy
  • Leading Global Teams and Organisations
  • Financial Management
  • Contemporary Marketing Communications Planning
  • Managing Digital Transformation and Innovation
  • Project Analytics
  • Transformation Capstone Project (60 credits)

How do we assess you?

• No exams in sight! Instead, we’ve designed innovative assessments to allow you to demonstrate your strengths and put your new knowledge into practice in real-world scenarios. This includes live projects and client briefs, virtual internships, writing case studies and reports, delivering presentations, and creating proposals. You’ll also have the opportunity to apply both assignments and an original research project relating to a management issue relevant to your role and organisation.

Experience a collaborative learning environment

• Connect with peers at similar career stages, share ideas, and expand your global network.

Industry guest speakers from around the world

• Throughout our Executive MBA course, we introduce industry guest speakers who bring their valuable experiences to the table through engaging lectures and talks. You'll have the opportunity to gain real-world management insights directly from these skilled professionals, leveraging their expertise to supplement your studies. You can then apply these insights to enrich your learning journey.

Pathways

• We provide the opportunity to focus on a specialised degree in finance or data analytics.
• Executive MBA (Finance): Develop your skills in financial decision-making with the 'Analysing Business and Financial Performance' and 'Managing Strategic Finance and Risk' modules.
• Executive MBA (Data Analytics): Develop deeper insights into the data that drives business success and disrupt conventional ways of thinking with the 'Analysing Big Data' and 'Managing Cloud Based Business Solutions' modules.
• MBA: If you don’t meet the entry requirements for our Executive MBA degree because of limited work experience, take a look at our MBA course, which has been designed for those with limited or no previous work or managerial experience.

Study options

• This course is available to study full time through our blended learning study mode at our campus in Berlin, Germany.
• The course is also available to students via online learning. This gives you the convenience of being able to study worldwide, providing you with the same high standards of teaching but with lower tuition fees.

Full time, blended learning

• How does it work?
• When you choose our blended learning study mode, you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at our centrally located Berlin campus. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, our university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully. You’ll also have access to our online library, Perlego, which contains almost half a million books, journals, and industry literature which you can make use of throughout your studies, removing the need to buy expensive course books in order to study successfully.

Online learning

• How does it work?
• Studying this course online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.

Entry requirements

• At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.

What you need to study with us

• Our aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study in a flexible and convenient way. That's why we keep our requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Through ilearn, our online university campus in the cloud, you'll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and our online library containing thousands of ebooks, as well as tools for creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.

What if I don't have any management experience?

• Take a look at our MBA course

Standard entry requirements

• To be eligible for the Masters in Business Administration, we need to see that you have:
  • A UK bachelor’s degree at second class level (2.2) or an equivalent international qualification
  • 2 years of work experience in a management role (take a look at our MBA if you don’t have this)

English proficiency

• IELTS 6.5 (no less than 6.0 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 90; or equivalent
• Alternatively, evidence you have previously studied in English; a letter to show that the Medium of Instruction was in English can be accepted
• Candidates applying to study at our Berlin campus require IELTS 6.0 (no less than 5.5 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 60-78; or equivalent. Free English language support is also available at the Arden Berlin campus.

Don’t have prior work experience?

• For those without prior work experience, we have an MBA programme that could be the perfect fit. Arden’s MBA has been designed to help students like you not only complete a full MBA, but also use their qualification as an entryway into a management position.

Non-standard entry requirements

• We’re happy to receive an application from you if you have substantial management experience (typically 5 years) and can show us that you have the motivation to study this programme.

Course fees and funding

• Funding and Scholarships: UK students can apply for up to £12,167 funding from Student Finance England fund your studies.
• If you’re an international student, we have a number of Regional Offers that can help you save money on your tuition fees.
• Refer a Friend: When you help a friend or family member to study with Arden through our Refer a Friend programme, both you and the person you refer will receive a £500 Amazon e-voucher or £500 tuition fee credit.

Meet the faculty

• Dr. Syed Ali Tarek is the Head of Department for MBA and Executive Education programmes. With over 16 years of experience, he has excelled in senior leadership roles and managed large academic teams. He led Arden’s MBA and EMBA to global recognition as top tier programmes in CEO Magazine's 2024 edition. Dr. Tarek has contributed to quality assurance in UK higher education and advised international initiatives, including collaborations with the UN. He will lead the department by setting strategic goals, ensuring high academic standards, integrating sustainable practices, and fostering innovation to enhance student satisfaction and programme quality.

Career prospects

• Ready to upskill and join the elite ranks of business management? A Master of Business Administration degree is the gold standard for employers looking for leadership potential. Our modern, international learning approach means your CMI and ILM accredited Executive MBA will give you the edge in the eyes of employers worldwide. Whether you want to progress with your current organisation or to take on a new challenge, the Arden Executive MBA provides the tools you need to unlock your full potential.

Industry skills

• Chartered Management Institute (CMI): This course awards a CMI Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management & Leadership Practice and offers CMI Full Chartered Manager Status *
• The Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE): This course awards the IOEE Professional Extended Diploma in Business Innovation and Growth
• The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM): This course is accredited by the Institute of leadership and Management (ILM). You'll graduate with an ILM Level 7 Diploma in Leadership and Management.
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) membership: Arden University is a member of the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
• Business Graduates Association (BGA): The BGA is a membership and quality assurance body. As a member, Arden University have signed up to the BGA Charter, committing their institution to responsible management practices and lifelong learning, positively impacting their students, communities, and the economy. This shows our students that we are demonstrating responsible management ourselves, as well as it being a central theme that runs through our own courses.

Career development resources

• Once you’ve enrolled with Arden, our careers centre is easily accessible directly from inside our online platform, ilearn. The careers centre is here to help you discover the areas of your academic and professional life that you find most meaningful and rewarding, and then apply this to your career pathway.
• Just a few of the career tools you’ll find in the careers centre include:
  • CV360, which analyses your CV and provides instant feedback for improvement
  • Interview360, helping you practise your interview technique in a stress-free environment and tackle some of the most common interview questions - as many times as you need to
  • Aptitude tests to help your improve your critical thinking, numeric, and logical reasoning skills
  • 100s of interactive courses focused on giving you the skills and confidence you need to excel in your professional life.
  • My Jobs, where you can search employment vacancies, browse employer profiles by location and, or connect with other employees on LinkedIn.

Arden Enterprise Incubator

• As an Arden University student, you’ll have access to the Arden Enterprise Incubator (AEI) online platform to support you in the area of entrepreneurship. Whether students are exploring the idea of setting up their own company or need help and guidance launching or growing an existing business, the AEI provides everything students need to kick start their entrepreneurial journey, as well as to support and empower them along the way.
• The AEI has a wealth of resources available including monthly master classes, boot camps, podcasts, blogs, external events, and mentorship. Mentors include Arden University lecturers and industry experts, so our students receive the very best support and expertise.
• As an IOEE Centre of Excellence, we foster an entrepreneurial culture among our students. We are dedicated to supporting their continuous growth by promoting enterprising thinking and practical entrepreneurial skills.